Do I need to get a new passport if my name has changed due to marriage?

by Thea
(Provo, Utah, USA)

Question: I have my old passport that is still valid for several more years, but I got married recently and am going to travel to the British Virgin Islands with my family and my husband. I just want to know if my old passport with my maiden name is still valid and will work to get me to the BVI and back into the US.

Answer: American citizens are required to travel with a passport that has their current legal name. If your name changed due to marriage then you need to apply for a passport name change before you travel.

If your passport was issued less than a year ago, there is no fee. If it was issued more than a year ago, then you need to apply for a passport renewal and pay the appropriate fee.

Regular processing takes 4-6 weeks and sometimes longer. You can request expedited services and get the name changed in 2-3 weeks. The expedited service fee is $60.

Besides the application form, you must mail:

* Your current, valid U.S. passport

* Applicable fees

* An original or certified copy of your marriage certificate or the government-issued document evidencing your legal name change under federal or state law. NOTE: If you do not want to send your original marriage certificate, you must send a certified copy. You can obtain a certified copy from the vital records office of the state in which you were married. Where to Write for Vital Records

* Two recent, color photos

Send your passport, application and support documents to the address listed on Form DS-82.

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